Scaffold legs with coupling pins



Oct. 2, 1956 o. E. MOYER SCAFFOLD LEGS WITH COUPLING PINS ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1952 JNVENTOR. 0665/2 7 Ho t- United States Patent O SCAFF OLD LEGS WITH COUPLING PINS Oscar E. Moyer, Zelienople, Pa., assignor to Universal Manufacturing Corporation, Zelienople, Pa., :1 corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 4, 195-2, Serial No. 318,721

3 Claims. (Cl. 334-2) This invention relates to knockdown tubular metal scaffolds, and more particularly to the coupling pins by which the legs of superimposed end panels are held in axial alignment.

It is common practice to provide the upper ends of scaffold end panel legs with coupling pins which project above the legs and into the lower ends of the tubular legs of the end panel above. These pins hold the superimposed legs in axial alignment to prevent the upper end panel from slipping oif the lower one. Since the tubular legs of the scaffold are made from ordinary pipes which are cylindrical inside, it has been common practice to make the coupling pins cylindrical too, so that they will fit fairly snugly in the legs in order to hold the upper end panel up straight. The snug fit between the pins and the upper legs presents a problem, however, when it is necessary to remove the upper panel from the lower one, because if the upper panel is not lifted straight up it will bind on the coupling pins and thereby be prevented from rising. On the other hand, if the pins fit loosely in the legs they will permit the upper panel to shift around on the lower one and thus make the scafiold unstable.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a scaflold in which the leg-connecting coupling pins hold superimposed end panels securely together and yet perrnit the upper panel to be lifted from the lower one without binding, even though the upper panel is tilted in its plane as it is lifted.

In accordance with this invention a pair of superimposed upright scafiold end panels have laterally spaced pairs of axially aligned tubular legs. Coupling pins are mounted in the upper ends of the lower legs and project up into the upper legs to hold the legs in alignment. The portion of each pin in an upper leg has substantially parallel opposite sides in a central vertical plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the panels. These sides fit against the inside of the upper leg in sliding relation with it. On the other hand, all but the lower end of this upper portion of the pin in the central vertical plane which is perpendicular to the first plane is spaced from the upper leg. This is done preferably by tapering the pin upward. Consequently, the upper panel is held up straight on the lower panel by means of the pins, but it can be lifted from the lower panel without binding on the pins, even if it is tilted in the plane of the panel as it is removed. This is permitted by the spacing of the sides of the pins from the sides of the upper legs.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tubular metal scafiold having upper and lower sections mounted on top of each other;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the scafiold with one pair of superimposed legs broken away in section to show their coupling pin;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of an end of the scafiold, also partly broken away;

2,765,200 Patented Oct. 2, 1956 Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged horizontal sections taken on the lines IV-IV and V-V, respectively, of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a modification of the coupling pin.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a typical tubular metal scaffold is shown which, in this particular case, includes two parallel lower end panels A that support two upper end panels B. Each lower panel has tubular legs 1 made from cylindrical pipe connected by suitable horizontal braces 2. Welded to the outside of each leg near its top and bottom is a pair of vertical sleeves 3, in some of which the end pins 4 of inclined braces 5 are inserted for holding the end panels upright. These brace pins may be hollow and receive smaller pins 6 on the ends of diagonal horizontal braces 7 in a well known manner. The upper end panels are constructed in the same general way from tubular legs 10 connected together by horizontal braces 11. The two upper panels are braced in upright position by inclined braces 12 which have their vertical ends inserted in sleeves 13 attached to the panel legs.

The lower ends of upper legs 10 are held in axial alignment with lower legs 1 by means of vertical coupling pins 15. Each of these pins extends down into the upper end of a lower leg and has a central collar 16 which rests on top of that leg to limit the distance that the pin can be inserted. A rivet 17 or the like may be used for fastening the pin in the leg. The coupling pin has an upper portion that projects above its collar and up into the lower end of one of the legs 10 of the end panel above it. This leg rests on the collar of the pin.

To help keep the upper end panel from swinging back and forth on the lower panel, the opposite sides of each coupling pin above collar 16 are substantially parallel, as shown in Fig. 3, so that they will fit more or less snugly against the adjoining sides of the upper leg in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the end panel. On the other hand, the upper portion of the pin is tapered upwardly in its central vertical plane perpendicular to the first-mentioned plane, as shown in Fig. 2. Consequently, only the bottom of the tapered portion will engage the inside of the upper leg, but the wide spacing of the two legs of an upper panel will prevent it from tilting in its own plane as long as the panel is resting on the underlying panel.

When it is desired to remove the upper panel from the lower one it is not necessary to lift the upper panel straight up in order to prevent binding of the upper legs on the coupling pins, because the taper of the pins in the plane of the panel will allow it to be tilted somewhat in that plane without binding.

The upper portion of each coupling pin 15 may take difierent forms. The preferred form is one in which the pin formed in horizontal sections is like a cross, as shown in Fig. 4. The cross arm 18 that is perpendicular to the plane of the panel has opposite parallel sides (Fig. 3), while the other cross arm 19 has upwardly converging sides (Fig. 2). The portion of the pin in the lower leg 1 can be cylindrical, or it too can be made in the shape of a cross (Fig. 5), in which case both arms of the cross have parallel opposite edges engaging the inside of the lower leg as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. One cross arm may be provided with a thickened portion 21, in which there is a horizontal passage that receives rivet 17. One cross arm of the upper portion of the pin, such as tapered arm 19, likewise can be thickened in the same manner to accommodate a passage 22 for receiving a removable fastening member attached to the upper leg. This fastening member may consist of a button 23 mounted on the upper portion of a leaf spring 24 riveted to the upper leg. The button is loosely disposed in an opening in the side of the leg and normally is pressed into the adjacent end of pin passage 22. When the button is pulled out of the leg, the, button can be swung to one side to hold it out while the'panel is being lifted oil the coupling pins.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the upper portion 26 of a leg coupling pin is elliptical in horizontal cross section and is tapered upward in the plane of the panel. As in the other form of pin, two opposite sides of the pin are spaced from the leg, but two other opposite sides are parallel and substantially engage the inside of the leg.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to haye it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifi cally illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. The combination with a pair of superimposed upright scaffold end panels having laterally spaced pairs of axially aligned tubular legs circular in cross section, of coupling pins mounted in the upper ends of the lower legs and projecting up into the upper legs to hold the legs in alignment, the portion of each pin in an upper leg being cross-shaped in horizontal section, one cross arm of said portion lying in the plane of said panels and being tapered upward to space it from the opposite sides of said leg but with the lower end of said cross arm substantially engaging the adjoining sides of the leg, and the other cross arm of said portion having substantially parallel opposite edges for slidably engaging the adjoining sides of the leg, whereby the upper panel is held up straight on the lower panel but can be lifted therefrom without binding on said pins even if it is tilted in said panel plane as it is removed.

2. The combination with a pair of superimposed upright scafiold end panels having laterally spaced pairs of axially aligned tubular legs circular in cross section, of coupling pins mounted in the upper ends of the lower legs and projecting up into the upper legs to hold the legs in alignment, the portion of each pin in an upper leg being cross-shape in horizontal section, one cross arm. of said portion lying in the plane of said panels and beingv tapered upward to space it from the opposite sides of said leg but with the lower end of saidcross arm substantially engaging the adjoining sides of the leg, and the other cross arm of said portion having substantially parallel opposite edges for slidably engaging the adjoining sides of the leg, whereby the upper panel is held up straight on the lower panel but can be lifted therefrom without binding on said pins even if it is tilted in said panel plane as it is removed, the central portion or" one cross arm of each pin being enlarged laterally and provided with a horizontal opening aligned with an opening in the side of the upper leg on the pin, and a removable locking member attached to said upper leg and projecting into said aligned openings.

3. The combination with a pair of superimposed upright scaffold end panels having laterally spaced pairs of axially aligned tubular legs circular in cross section, of coupling pins mounted in the upper ends of the lower legs and projecting up into the upper legs to hold the legs in alignment, the portion of each pin in an upper leg being tapered upward in the plane or" said panels to space it from the opposite sides of said leg, and the opposite sides of said upper portion of the pin in a central vertical plane perpendicular to said panel plane being substantially parallel for slidably engaging the adjoining sides of the leg, whereby the upper panel is held up straight on the lower panel but can be lifted therefrom without binding on said pins even if it is tilted in said panel plane as it is removed, said upper portion of each pin being elliptical in horizontalsection above a circular lower end substantially engaging the inside of the lower end of said upper leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

